Tap! Tap! Tap! What is that on the roof?

By Soila Munyaka

There has been a prolonged shortage of water in Isinya, and this problem is going to be around for a long time, since the only source is from some few shallow wells and private boreholes.

This has forced the residents to dig deep into their pockets so as to access this very fundamental and scarce commodity; and with the inflation rates hitting the ceilings, it can only get harder.

The underground tank at St. Patrick's church compound

Following the announcement by the weather man about the coming of El-Niño rains, in late last year, the ACK St. Patrick’s church constructed an underground tank with a capacity of 205 cm³ for harvesting rain water, which to many was a looming disaster at the time. 

The water from the tank will be used in an income generating activity of organic farming using greenhouse technology. 

In future, similar underground tanks shall be constructed to harvest rain water from all the buildings in the compound; as a long-term plan. This will create job opportunities for the youth as this can be a water purification and bottling enterprise.

Most water sources in Isinya provide hard water, and so the water collected from the seasonal precipitation will provide the much precious soft water; with just a little purification, there will be pure drinking water available to the community. As the saying goes, water is life.